Lock for automobiles.



PATENTED. JUNE a, 1903. B. n. COLBY. LOOK r011 AUTOMOBILES.

Arnmumn mum nov. 14, 1902.

no 140mm.

mums PETERS w morn-urns" waswucrou o c same secured by the lock. Fig. 2is a plan UNITED ST TES Patented June 9, 1903.

PAT NT OFFICE.

Lock FOR AUTOMOBILES.

SPECIFIC ATION forming partof Letters Patent'No. 730,515, dated il'une9, 1903. Application filed November 14;, 1902. Serial No. 131,292. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN Donn COLBY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Oook'aud State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Looks for Automobiles,ofI

which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to means for locking 1 automobiles and othersimilar vehicles, so that the same may not be tampered with by un Icontrolling devices comprise a lever or memauthorized persons.

Automobiles usually possess two or more levers or actuating membersnecessary for the operation and control of the vehicle, and in the useof such a vehicle it is desirable that when it is left standing it haveits controlling devices so locked that not only will there be ampleassurance that the vehiclewill not be pushed or pulled away bymischievous persons, but also that the machine will not be set in motionor, if left in motion, as often desirable with the explosive types ofmotors,

it may neither he stopped nor connected with the driving-gear.

My invention therefore has for its primary object to provide an improvedlock which will conveniently secure two or more of the levers or memberswhich control the vehicle or its machinery.

- With these ends in View my invention consists in certain features ofnovelty in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts bywhich the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearingare attained, all as fully described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspec tive view of my improvedlook as applied to the end of the seat of an automobile where a numberof the controlling levers or members are situated or grouped, showingallot the view thereof, showing them released. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectionon the line 3 3, Fig. 2, showing the lock unlocked. Fig. 4 is a similarsection showing the lock locked, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of theelectric switch and the under side of the locking-plate with thelocking-plate thrown back and disclosing the means for locking theswitch.

As a suitable type of automobile for illustrating the application of myinvention, I have selected the gasolene form of machine commonly knownas the Oldsmobile, in which the principal levers for controlling thevehicle and the mechanism are situated at the right-hand endof thecushion 1, between the end of the cushion and the inclined side wall 2of the seat box or frame. These levers or her 3, which is usually somounted as to project through a suitable slot 4 in the front side of theseat-box and which oscillates in a vertical plane in such a way as tocontrol the time of ignition of the engine, making the ignition late andthe speed consequently slow when the lever is pushed'downward and earlyand the speed consequently high when the lever is pulled upward; anupright lever 5,which controls the driving or transmission gear in sucha way that when the lever 5stands vertically the clutch mechanism ofsaid gear is out of engagement and no matter how fast the motor may runthe power is not applied to the driving-wheels, but when the lever 5 ispushed in one direction the machine goes forward at a greater or lessspeed,"according to the degree of deflection of the lever, or whenpushed 'in the other direction it backs up; a

switch'fi, which .is. usuallymonnted or piv-.

oted upon a plate 7', secured to the inner face of the wall 2 of theseat-box and adapted to contact with either of two electrical contacts 89 for deriving current'i'rom either set of batteries, two sets beingusually carried, so

that a freshset may be on hand ready for use when the 'old set isexhausted, it being understood that as long as the switch 6 stands oneither of the contacts 8 9 the engine will be supplied with electriccurrent for keeping it in motion, and when it stands at an intermediatepoint, as shown in the drawings, the engine cannot be started, and,lastly, a lever '10, which is the emergency-brake lever and which is soconnected to the brake in the usual or any suitable Way that when it isthrown forward or from left to right from the position shown in Fig. 1the emergency-brake will be released, but when it is pulled up or thrownback in the position indicated in Fig. l the emergency-brake will beapplied. The lock comprising my invention is capable of securing two ormore of these controlling levers or devices and also, when desired, ofcontrolling all of them when set in the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

The form of lock illustrated as an example of my invention consists of aflat plate 11, which may be hinged to any convenient part of thevehicle, such as the side wall 2, by means of hinges 12 in such a waythat when desired it may be thrown down into a horizontal position,bringing one end against the lever 10, should this lever be in itselevated position, as indicated in Fig. 1, while its 0pposite end, whichis turned downwardly, as shown at 11, impinges the igniter-lever 3 andholdsitatthelimitofitsdownward movement, where the speed of the engineis lowest,while the opposite edge of the plate is formed with a notch13, which embraces the clutch or transmission-gearlever 5 and holds thesame in the position it assumes when the clutches of the gear are out ofengagement. Should it be desired to lock the other levers withoutapplying the emergency-brake, the lever 10 would be allowed to remain inits lowered horizontal position, where it will lie under the plate 11and not interfere with the latter being lowered for locking the otherlevers. Should it be desired to leave the engine running and to insureagainst its being stopped by unauthorized persons, the switch 6 would bethrown onto one of the contacts 8 9, and it would be held in thatposition by one of a pair of stops let 15, each of which is beveled onboth sides, as shown in Fig. 5, and secured to the under side of plate11 in such a position that when the plate is thrown down one of thestops 1415 will engage one side of the knob 16 of the switch, andconsequently hold the switch on the contact 8 or 9. On the other band,should it be desired to lock the switch, so that the engine may not bestarted nor the battery allowed to exhaust itself, the

' switch would be placed in the intermediate position (shown in Fig. 5)and in which position the stops 14 15 will engage on opposite sides ofthe knob 16 whenthe looking-plate 11 is thrown down.

The plate 11 may be locked in its lowered position byany suitable means,such as a lock 17, secured to the under side thereof and engaging akeeper 18, formed on or secured to suitable bracket 19, riveted orbolted to the top 20 of the seat, and, if desired, the hinge of theplate 11 may be provided with a spring 21 for holding the plate in itselevated or released position, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to avoidinterfering with the proper operation of the levers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a lock for automobiles the combination of two or more members orlevers for controlling the automobile or its machinery and a lockingmeans simultaneously engaging or holding two or more of said members orlevers, substantially as set forth.

2. In a lock for automobiles the combination of a lever or member forcontrolling the transmission-gear of the automobile, a levelor memberfor varying the time of ignition and a locking means for simultaneouslyengaging both of said members, substantially as set forth.

3. In a lock for automobiles the combination of a member or lever forcontrolling the transmission-gear of the automobile, a member or leverfor controlling the time of ignition of the igniter, a switch forclosing an electric circuit through the igniter and a means forsimultaneously engaging and holding said levers and switch,substantially as set forth.

4. In a lock for automobiles the combination of three levers forcontrolling respectively an emergency-brake, the transmissiongears andthe time of the ignition of the igniter and a means for simultaneouslyengaging and holding all of said levers, substantially as set forth.

5. In a lock for automobiles the combination of three levers forrespectively controlling an emergency-brake, the transmissiongears andthe time of the ignition of the igniter, an electric switch for closinga circuit through the igniter and a locking means for simultaneouslyengaging and holding all of said levers and switch, substantially as setforth.

6. In a lock for automobiles the combination of an electric switchhaving two contacts, a lock for holding said switch on either of saidcontacts or in an intermediate or open position, comprising two stopsadapted to engage on either or both sides of the switch and means forlocking said stops in engagement with the switch, substantially as setforth.

7. In a lock for automobiles the combination of two or more levers ormembers for controlling the automobile and its mechanism, a hinged platehaving means for simultaneously engaging two or more of said levers ormembers and meansfor locking said plate in its engaged position,substantially as set forth.

B. DORE- COLBY.

Witnesses:

F. A. HOPKINS, M. B. ALLSTA-DT.

